Call centres need to personalise data without scaring customers

We are definitely in an era of Big Data, and call centres have more information at their disposal than ever before. However, this brings its own problems, and telephone answering services need to learn how to capture data efficiently without scaring customers when they begin to personalise engagement.

Whilst data capture is becoming easier for firms with modern analysis tools, it is vital that call centres are careful about how the information is used. People want companies to treat them as individuals rather than sales figures. However, even though many want personalised deals and tailored offers, they don’t want to have their online movements tracked. In addition, whilst people are quite happy to interact with their favourite brands, it is important that firms take measures to prevent a flood of content that could be deemed as spam.

One problem with vast amounts of customer data is that it can be tempting to go too far, personalise things a little too much, and ultimately scare people away. Letting on to customers that website movements have been tracked could well have a negative effect, so it’s better to offer up this information first. Conversely, utilising information such as previous sales, preferred contact method, and birthday dates can be a positive spin on brand engagement.

In 2015, customer engagement is likely to become even more important. However, it is vital for companies with immense amounts of data at their fingertips to take a moment to consider what they should share.